Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies

Category: World
Author: Jared M. Diamond
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by dshakir   2019-08-24

Are you referring to when human development was at a standstill? Sure, caveman.

We didn’t start progressing until trade routes and the exchange of values, ideas and cultures became prevalent though.

https://www.amazon.com/Guns-Germs-Steel-Fates-Societies/dp/0393317552

by InhLaba   2019-08-24

Some nonfiction books I enjoyed that came to mind:

  • Guns, Germs, and Steel by Jared Diamond
  • The World’s Religions by Huston Smith
  • Science In The Looking Glass by E. Brian Davies
  • The Butchering Art by Lindsey Fitzharris
  • Head In The Cloud by William Poundstone
  • The Future Of An Illusion by Sigmund Frued
  • The Meaning Of Human Existence by Edward O. Wilson
  • The Rape Of Nanking by Iris Chang
by oilman81   2019-07-21

https://www.amazon.com/Guns-Germs-Steel-Fates-Societies/dp/0393317552

Probably the most famous one, but there are dozens of others.

I would also argue that the burden of proof is on you to show that native diseases mostly stemmed from intentional action (pretty much impossible given the chronological timeline of the near-extinction event but whatever)

by oilman81   2019-07-21

I mean, this one won a Pulitzer

https://www.amazon.com/Guns-Germs-Steel-Fates-Societies/dp/0393317552

by jondavidbrooks   2019-07-21

It should be mandatory that everyone either read or watch the documentary Guns Germs and Steel. Because on the face of it it wouldnt be a unfair question to ask why did Europeans become the most advanced and dominated other cultures. Guns Germs and Steel lays out a rock solid case on and to sum up the answer comes down to Geography and timing not because of superiority of any race. But the answer is even more complicated then that... andv to sit there and argue with these knuckleheads with this long complicated arguments is pointless. It would be better if kids learn young about why these discrepancies exist so we can shut down those questions early on.

by myth_buster   2018-01-15
If this fascinates you as it does for me, Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies [0] is an equally fascinating read, although there are arguments against the hypothesis.

[0] https://www.amazon.com/Guns-Germs-Steel-Fates-Societies/dp/0...

by richardw   2017-08-20
I love, love love the book Guns, Germs and Steel. It's not perfect but the author throws in so many great ideas as to why certain groups did better than others. None because any group is inherently superior.

http://www.amazon.com/Guns-Germs-Steel-Fates-Societies/dp/03...

by mynuname   2017-08-19

>What is your evidence for all of this?

Many and various. Two good laymen books on the anthropology are Gun, Germs, and Steel, by Jared M. Diamond , and The Fall, by Steve taylor . But if you look it up on Google, you will find many good articles too.

>Sounds to me like once science figured out that adam and eve story is scientifically impossible, apologist went back and spun up a new meaning of the creation story.

Sounds to me like you are not too familiar with Christian history. An allegorical view of the beginning of Genesis is as old as records on the subject, and many famous historical Christian leaders advocated for it. This is not a new thing by any stretch of the imagination.

>none of this explains why christ is necessary and what sins of some random people 2000 years will lead me to suffer if i dont accept his protection racket.

I am not going to justify this antagonistic remark by answering it. I will however, guide you to view the sidebar with the forum rules. Specifically the 3rd one, which forbids antagonism.

by Virnibot   2017-08-19

Virnibot has detected a misspelling or incorrect use of grammar in your comment.

> I am also a white devil and tbh I think only morons idealize the culture and advancement of whites without looking at the blood that was spilt to propogate it, white people colonized and enslaved millions throughout history to get to where we are today. However the only people that think 18th century china were backwards are also morons and I doubt that they opened a single historical textbook. > > That being said, human nature is violent and opportunistic, you can't judge our ancestors with the world view of today, their simply wasn't the infrastructure in place for people to be co exist peacefully in the same manner as today. There was no antibiotics, no internet, no welfare, no democracy, limited legal and policing systems, no easy transport, no supermarkets the list goes on and on. Without these systems in place, people become greedy and mistrustful of each other. > If one cut on your knee can get infected and kill you, leaving your family destitute and the average life expectancy was 30 then people are going to act alot more sociopathic, it becomes about survival, like actual life or death survival. > > The reality is human history is dirty and messy and violent, and pretending that any race or ethnicity is innocent from that is completely ignorant, its in our genes to be opportunistic and violent, its evolution and natural selection at work. We only became largely peaceful in the last 50 years because a) we developed to such a degree that working together economically was in our better interests than military and b) the deterrant of nuclear war and mutually assured destruction > > I recommend you read the following books: https://toptalkedbooks.com/amzn/0195119126 > > Basically how all human societies are violent and > > https://toptalkedbooks.com/amzn/0393317552 > > This book gives the reasons why civilizations rise and fall and why European culture became the dominant one post 19th century > Essentially there are deterministic factors that are needed for any culture to prosper and white people inherited them all just because of geography and luck

  • You wrote alot which should have been a lot

  • You wrote propogate which should have been propagate

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